PS2

God of War II is a fine game, and definitely one of the most polished, playable titles available for the PS2. However, it suffers from the same significant (and possibly unavoidable) problem as its predecessor—an unlikable hero.

When God of War was released on the aging PS2 back in 2005, it was immediately hailed as one of the best action games of all time, going on to win numerous accolades and game-of-the-year awards. But the videogaming landscape has changed significantly in the past two years. The big three (Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft) have released their "next-generation" consoles, and player expectations have risen accordingly. So how could God of War II, designed on the now-ancient PS2 hardware, possibly live up to the expectations of its fans?

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Game Description: God of War II continues that thrilling and bloody tale of Kratos, the mortal warrior who challenged the war god Ares for his throne. He succeeded, but his journey does not end there. In God Of War II he rules over war, far more ruthless than Ares ever was. To end his continued torment, Kratos must journey to the far reaches of the earth and defeat untold horrors and alter that which no mortal, or god has ever changed, his fate. God of War II sets an epic stage for a devastating mythological war to end all wars.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Fantasy Violence, Language, Suggestive Themes

Stylish and stylized, Aeon Flux is one of the more unusual additions to the Basement since it's an extremely rare animal—a licensed game that succeeds thanks to developers who took the time to understand their subject before crafting a gameplay experience that's the perfect interactive extension of the characters and world it's based on.

Although the camera is ridiculously slow and unresponsive (an intentional choice to alleviate the motion sensitivity Japanese gamers are so prone to?), it's as sickeningly entertaining as it ever was to lay down a giant bear trap, snap it closed on an approaching attacker, shoot him full of electrified spears and then drop a giant flaming boulder on his head, laughing as the whole mess explodes.

I've played through every installment in Capcom's samurai-flavored tales of swords and sorcery, and I have to admit that I was leery of taking a fourth trip to the well after the developers had sworn the series would end as a trilogy. Oddly enough, my fears were misplaced since Dawn of Dreams turned out to be the best of the lot, at least in terms of craftsmanship.

I can't imagine it's an especially easy task, making a Superman-themed game. There's never been a great Superman game, though, so without any ideas to appropriate, each and every time a new Superman game is crafted the developers are starting from scratch, with a daunting task ahead of them.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Violence

Game Description: Superman Returns was inspired by the hit film & tries to recreate the wonder of being the legendary superhero. Explore the game environment not only horizontally but vertically as well: Revolutionary new flight mechanics give you full command of your aerial maneuvers. Use them to explore a Metropolis that is not only expansive (80 sq. miles and more than 7,000 buildings), but also changes dynamically based on how you play. Experience what it's like to be Superman, like never before! Protect Metropolis from seven of the most notorious villains in the world, like Metallo and Bizarro Conquer more than 40 monstrous missions only Superman can overcome.